Government's air quality plan is cynical headline-grabbing, say critics

Michael Gove’s pledge to ban new petrol and diesel cars in 23 years is not enough to tackle health crisis now, say campaigners

Michael Gove, the environment secretary, has been accused of “kicking the can down the road” with his air quality proposals, after campaigners said those dying from the effects of pollution could not wait another 23 years for a ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

The long-awaited document contains a pledge to stop new petrol and diesel cars being sold in the UK after 2040, as well as measures to encourage councils to tackle pollution hotspots and potentially a limited scrappage scheme for the most polluting older vehicles.